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. 2015 Nov 30:4:257.
doi: 10.4103/2277-9175.170682. eCollection 2015.

Pulsed dye laser and topical timolol gel versus pulse dye laser in treatment of infantile hemangioma: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

Ali Asilian  1 , Fatemeh Mokhtari  2 , Atefeh Sadat Kamali  3 , Bahareh Abtahi-Naeini  2 , Mohammad Ali Nilforoushzadeh  4 , Shayan Mostafaie  5
Affiliations

Pulsed dye laser and topical timolol gel versus pulse dye laser in treatment of infantile hemangioma: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

Ali Asilian et al. Adv Biomed Res. .

Abstract

Background: Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common tumor during infancy that usually appears as macular and gradually becomes a plaque or tumor. Approximately, 20% of all IH cases results in adverse effects and the Pulsed dye laser (PDL) 585 nm is a vascular laser leading to selective the micro vascular damage. Results of studies on non-selective B-blockers (e.g., timolol) indicate their effectiveness in preventing hemangioma growth. The aim of this study is a comparison of PDL plus timolol and PDL in the treatment of IH.

Materials and methods: This double-blind study was carried out on 30 infants (1-12 months old) and the patients were divided into two groups. Group A was treated with the four sessions PDL and the timolol gel 0.05% and Group B with PDL.

Results: There were no differences in the mean age of patients for the diagnosis of hemangioma (Group A: 32.69 ± 24.64 days, Group B: 25.69 ± 21.16 days, P = 0.39) and the mean age at the start of the treatment (Group A: 148.125 ± 85.88 days, Group B: 146.25 ± 60.87 days, P = 0.94). There were a statistical difference in the mean of lesion size reduction (Group A: 17.62 ± 6.97 cm and Group B: 12 ± 5.71 cm, P = 0.018), mean percentage change in size mean (Group A: 71079 ± 23.41% and Group B: 54.59 ± 25.46%, P = 0.050) visual analog scale (Group A: 7.19 ± 1.51, Group B: 5.62 ± 1.78, P = 0.012) after treatment. There was no correlation between the time of beginning the treatment and the results (P = 0.857).

Conclusions: Application of timolol with PDL is accompanied by the highest efficacy, cost benefits and the short time of treatment.

Keywords: Infantile hemangioma; Pulsed dye laser; timolol.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1a
Figure 1a
Two months old boy with a perioral infantile hemangioma treated with Pulsed dye laser and timolol gel at the start of treatment (c)
Figure 1b
Figure 1b
Two months old boy with a perioral infantile hemangioma treated with Pulsed dye laser and timolol gel 4months later (d)
Figure 2a
Figure 2a
Nine months old girl with a perioral infantile hemangioma treated with Pulsed dye laser at the start of treatment (a)
Figure 2b
Figure 2b
Nine months old girl with a perioral infantile hemangioma treated with Pulsed dye laser 4 months later (b)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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